maladjusted

adjective

Definition of maladjustednext
as in unbalanced

Related Words

Relevance

Dissimilar Words

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of maladjusted For the blessedly unaware, gooning is when maladjusted young men consume immense, overstimulating amounts of pornography and masturbate for hours on end to reach some kind of transcendent release. — Charlie Warzel, The Atlantic, 14 Mar. 2026 An elderly man, adjusting to the recent death of his beloved wife, meets a brilliant yet maladjusted teenager in a cemetery. — The Know, Denver Post, 7 Dec. 2025 Nothing spoils a Sunday afternoon outside with the family quite like your youngest child being carried off by a horde of maladjusted howler monkeys. — Paul Cappiello, Louisville Courier Journal, 24 Sep. 2025 So what lies ahead for the most maladjusted characters in the entire TGIT lineup? — Maureen Lee Lenker, EW.com, 25 Sep. 2019 See All Example Sentences for maladjusted
Recent Examples of Synonyms for maladjusted
  1. unbalanced
  2. disturbed
  3. upset
  4. agitated
  5. unhinged
Adjective
  • If yours clicks every time the blades spin, the cause could be as simple as a loose screw or an unbalanced blade.
    — Tricia Goss, Southern Living, 28 Sep. 2026
  • In her time on the board, Zaccor has been a strong voice for more funding from Springfield and voted for the unbalanced budget a few months ago.
    — The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 28 Sep. 2026
Definition of unbalanced
Adjective
  • Cops described him as emotionally disturbed, although his only prior interaction with NYPD cops was an arrest for petty larceny last month in the Bronx, officials said.
    — Kerry Burke, New York Daily News, 1 Oct. 2026
  • Investigators noticed disturbed vegetation near a large culvert about 100 yards from the truck and sent in a sheriff's K-9.
    — Cecilio Padilla, CBS News, 28 Sep. 2026
Definition of disturbed
Adjective
  • Legend has it Michael Jackson asked his security to keep fans away from him at a local dive bar, only to become upset when the locals were all too good at treating him like a normal person.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 6 Oct. 2026
  • Ultimately, after he was found out to be a con artist, according to his critics, Minnesota media appears to be more so upset that Jamal was not acting in the Somali community’s best interests.
    — Mia Cathell, The Washington Examiner, 5 Oct. 2026
Definition of upset
Adjective
  • Altercations between agitated people with dementia and other residents or workers charged with caring for them are disturbingly common in long-term care facilities and private homes.
    — Jordan Rau, NPR, 30 Sep. 2026
  • Migratory birds in captivity develop Zugunruhe, an agitated fitfulness, at certain times of year.
    — Rivka Galchen, New Yorker, 14 Sep. 2026
Definition of agitated
Adjective
  • Based on real events, Lance Oppenheim’s movie stars an unhinged Robert Pattinson as the TV host Chris Hansen, who is chasing ever more salacious ways to increase ratings for his TV series To Catch a Predator.
    — Sinna Nasseri, Vulture, 5 Oct. 2026
  • Samantha Josephs, Carrying (Putnam, October 6) One of the year’s most unhinged premises comes from this trans body horror debut, as perfect housewife Martha begins to suffer the strain of performing impeccable femininity as a stealth trans woman.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 1 Oct. 2026
Definition of unhinged

Browse Nearby Words

maladies
maladjusted
maladminister
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Maladjusted.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/maladjusted. Accessed 8 Oct. 2026.

Copy Citation
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of etiquette

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

Do You Need a New Language Peeve?

The Exceptions of '-s' and '-es' Plurals

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

The Real Origin of 'Supercalifragilistic'

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

7 Words for Bad Endings and Rough Situations

Even More Bird Names that Sound Like Insults (and Sometimes Are)

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World
See More

Popular

See More

Do You Need a New Language Peeve?

The Real Origin of 'Supercalifragilistic'

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
name tags
Words Named After People Quiz Find out who’s behind "leotard," "morphine," an...
See All